Magnetic recording media such as audio and video magnetic recording tapes and computer cartridge tapes are constructed of a magnetic recording layer provided on a nonmagnetic support. The performance of a magnetic recording medium depends, in part, upon the surface characteristics of the backside surface of the support. When the backside surface of the support is too smooth, the coefficient of friction between the support and the guide surfaces of the playing/recording apparatus tends to be substantially increased. As a result, the running properties of the magnetic recording medium suffer and the normal recording and reproduction of signals is hindered. In order to overcome this problem, a backside coating may be coated on the backside of the nonmagnetic support to provide a roughened, uneven surface and thereby reduce the coefficient of friction of the backside surface.
Backside coatings generally include a nonmagnetic pigment dispersed in a binder. Researchers have proposed that the inclusion of such pigments, in various amounts and sizes and of specific Mohs hardness values, will improve the performance characteristics of magnetic recording media. Mohs hardness refers to the hardness scale which ranks standard minerals according to their relative ability to scratch one another. See 12 Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology 124 (3d ed. 1980).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,091 (Yanagita et al.) describes protrusions in the backside coating layer of a magnetic recording medium which are said to improve running durability and diminish the lowering of a radio frequency (RF) output. Yanagita et al. list several non-magnetic particles as being useful. Inorganic particles listed are those comprising silicon oxide, titanium oxide, aluminum oxide, chromium oxide, silicon carbide, calcium carbide, zinc oxide, .alpha.-Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, talc, kaolin, calcium sulfate, boron nitride, zinc fluoride, molybdenum dioxide, calcium carbide, and barium sulfate. Organic powders said to be useful in combination with the above inorganic particles include those of benzoguanamine type resin, a melamine resin, a phthalocyanine type pigment and carbon black. Yanagita et al., col. 5 lines 27-45.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,652 (Shimasaki) describes decreasing and stabilizing the coefficient of friction in a magnetic recording medium by including spherical particles in the backside coating. According to Shimasaki, the particles can be chosen from spherical particles of silicon dioxide, thermal black, fine particles of melamine formaldehyde condensation product and the like. Shimasaki, col. 2 lines 62-67. Shimasaki states that when the above-mentioned spherical particles are added to the backcoat layer, numerous "studs" are formed on the surface of the back coat layer, resulting in a "small touching area," which results in a low coefficient of friction. Shimasaki col. 3 lines 15-20.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,606 (Matsuura et al.) describes a back coat layer comprising a binder and non-magnetic particles dispersed therein. The particles are characterized in that they comprise a mixture of at least one soft inorganic pigment of less than 5 in Mohs scale of hardness, and at least one hard inorganic pigment of not less than 5 in Mohs scale of hardness. This combination of hard and soft particles is said to give suitable abrasion resistance. Matsuura et al., col. 1-2.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,320 (Klingaman et al.) describes a particulate material composed of regular, well defined ellipsoidal particles, and a method of making this particulate material. The particles are said to be generally useful as a filler for polymeric media. Klingaman et al., col. 4 lines 7-8. The invention further includes composites of these particles with one or more polymeric media. Klingaman et al., col. 5 lines 3-15.